Application Program Interfaces (APIs) are powerful, built-in tools used to solve business problems. Many System i programmers, however, do not have a working knowledge of the APIs available within i5/OS. Worse still, programmers who are familiar with the use of APIs may not be taking full advantage of the APIs and processing techniques available to them.



In this book, author and noted IBM API expert Bruce Vining is your guide to making sense, and effectively mastering, the wide variety of APIs available with System i. Each chapter is full of real business-world examples that you can modify and use in your own environment.



In recent years, the business programmer has had to integrate applications—often from different operating systems and programming platforms—using different languages to integrate business rules and requirements. APIs allow you to gain access to the underlying structure of an application. With this book you will soon realize that APIs are among the most powerful tools in your toolbox.



New for this edition:



• New chapters covering topics such as exit point concepts, Integrated File System, date and time, cryptographic services, TCP/IP, and more



• Sorting, character data conversion, and user application information



• APIs are covered in depth



• Fully updated code on previous APIs to bring them up to newer standards



• Updates to API changes since the previous edition



• Modernized RPG code to demonstrate current coding style



• An Appendix with COBOL examples and implementation including API equivalents for RPG support of memory management, bit testing, edit words, and more



• Check Your Knowledge tasks at the conclusion of each chapter with solutions provided in RPG and COBOL Write client and server applications that enable your System i to communicate



with other systems, such as PCs, using sockets

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 1 Ratings

Make room on your shelf for this! - 2008-08-15
Reviewer Rating:
Review by Jon Paris.

Although I have rarely had problems using the C-style APIs from RPG, for some strange reason, the system APIs have always intimidated me. Perhaps it is the arcane terminology that IBM use to describe them. Perhaps it is the lack of good RPG examples in the manuals. Or perhaps I'm simply API-phobic. Whatever the reason, I have often turned to the experts when I needed to use an API. During my time with IBM I quickly learned that "the" expert was Bruce Vining. Bruce was not only involved in the design and implementation of many of the APIs, he was also one of the few in the Rochester Lab who was RPG and COBOL literate and could therefore "translate" the arcane terminology of the documentation into something that we mere humans could understand.

Bruce's knowledge of APIs is unparalleled and over the years he has added to that knowledge the ability to communicate it effectively to others. In recent years Bruce has authored a number of articles for various publications, and we were thrilled when he agreed to become a featured speaker at our RPG and DB2 Summit conferences. As a result of these activities, together with his contributions to various internet lists, many more have been able to benefit from Bruce's knowledge and teaching skills. But it is only with the publication of this book that his expertise becomes available to an even wider audience, as and when they need it.

It is difficult to imagine a more comprehensive guide to APIs than that contained within these covers. From list APIs, to Telnet, to encryption, Bruce covers them all and does so in an informative and entertaining fashion. Not content simply to detail their naked operation, Bruce also demonstrates the usage of these APIs as the foundations for a number of utility programs that most shops will soon spot a use for in their daily operations. Even better - the examples are terrific demonstrations of the power of the RPG IV language. If you were to purchase this book for no other reason than to study the examples you would get excellent value for money. Hopefully some of the folks involved in producing IBM documentation will read this book and take the hint! COBOL users are not left out either - Bruce provides COBOL versions of all of the code.

At well over 700 pages this is indeed a weighty tome, but unlike so many others there's no "fat" here - just solid content that will satisfy your hunger for knowledge.

One last comment - this is advertised as a "second edition" but it really is a completely new book - those of you who have the original in your collection should treat this not as a revision but as "part 2".

If you have any interest in making your AS/400, System i, i Series, i5, or whatever you want to call it really sing then buy this book - you won't regret it.
IBM System i APIs at Work

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